Compressor

ABSTRACT

In a cylinder head ( 104 ) of a compressor ( 100 ), suction chamber ( 119 ) arranged on an extension line of an axis of driving shaft ( 106 ), a cylindrically arranged discharge chamber ( 120 ) surrounding suction chamber ( 119 ), and communication passage ( 104   b ) extending from radially outside of discharge chamber ( 120 ) to suction chamber ( 119 ) bridging over discharge chamber ( 120 ) are provided. In the communication passage ( 104   b ), valve ( 250 ) regulating an opening of the communication passage ( 104   b ) depending on a flow rate of refrigerant is arranged. Valve ( 250 ) includes passage forming member ( 254 ) cylindrically made of heat insulating material and internally inserted into communication passage ( 104   b ), valve housing ( 253 ) locked at the downstream of member ( 254 ), valve body ( 251 ) received in valve housing ( 253 ), and compression coil spring ( 252 ) urging valve body ( 251 ) toward a valve closing direction. Member ( 254 ) integrally includes part ( 254   b ) regulating movement of valve body ( 251 ) in a valve closing direction.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a compressor equipped with an opening regulating valve for regulating an opening of a suction passage extending to a suction chamber bridging over a discharge chamber.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, in a reciprocating compressor used for in a vehicle air conditioning system, it is not rare that pulsations in suction pressure resulting from self-reinforcing vibrations of a suction reed valve sometimes occur at the time of suction of refrigerant, and such pressure pulsations are transmitted to an evaporator etc. at the upstream to thereby cause abnormal noises.

Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a compressor equipped with an opening regulating valve for regulating an opening of a suction passage, in order to reduce the pulsations in the suction pressure.

Patent Document 3 discloses a compressor in which a wall surface of a suction passage is covered by a heat insulating member to suppress a temperature rise caused by heating of refrigerant taken in at a suction passage.

CITATION LIST Patent Document

Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2000-136776

Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2005-337232

Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2005-147021

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Problems to the Solved by the Invention

As is disclosed in Patent Document 2, in the reciprocating compressor in which the suction passage extends to the suction chamber bridging over the discharge chamber, refrigerant taken in at the suction passage is susceptible to heating by high temperature discharged refrigerant in the discharge chamber. For this reason, it has been a cause of rising temperature of the refrigerant to be taken in to a cylinder bore and decreasing the density of the refrigerant, resulting in degrading the performance of the compressor.

Thus, a compressor has been desired that is capable of suppressing heating of the refrigerant taken in at a suction passage by applying a structure in which a suction passage is heat insulated in the suction chamber by a heat insulating member as disclosed in Patent Document 1 to the compressor disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2. However, merely adding a dedicated heat insulating member brings about increased cost of the compressor.

Therefore, in view of the aforementioned problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a compressor in which an heat insulation of an suction passage extending to a suction chamber bridging over a discharge chamber, and opening regulation of the suction passage are accomplished with a simple structure.

Means for Solving the Problems

In order to achieve the object, a compressor according to the present invention includes: a housing including a suction chamber arranged on an extension line of an axis of a driving shaft, a cylindrically arranged discharge chamber surrounding the suction chamber, and a suction passage extending from the radial outside of the discharge chamber to the suction chamber bridging over the discharge chamber; and an opening regulating valve regulating an opening of the suction passage, in which the opening regulating valve includes a passage forming member which is cylindrically made of a heat insulating material, internally inserted into a portion of the suction passage bridging over the discharge chamber, and the passage forming member integrally includes a regulating part regulating a movement of a valve body.

In this structure, since the passage forming member internally inserted into the suction passage is made of a heat insulating material, the structure suppresses heat exchange between the suction passage and the discharge chamber. Furthermore, since the passage forming member regulates a movement of the valve body of the opening regulating valve, the passage forming member serves as a structural element of the opening regulating valve and heat insulates the suction passage.

Herein, the opening regulating valve includes a valve housing which is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape and to which the valve body is received. An outer periphery at the downstream end of the passage forming member is fitted to an inner periphery at the open end of the valve housing to lock the valve housing to the downstream end of the passage forming member. The valve body fits in the valve housing, moves along an axial direction of the valve housing, and abuts to the regulating part integrally provided in a cylindrical end at the downstream of the passage forming member. This regulates a movement of the valve body toward a direction in which the valve body comes near to the downstream end of the passage forming member.

In this structure, fitting the outer periphery of the downstream end of the passage forming member to the inner periphery of the open end of the valve housing narrows the open end of the valve housing at the downstream end of the passage forming member, and the passage forming member cylindrically protrudes into a movement space of the valve body. Then, the valve body abuts to the regulating part integrally provided in the cylindrical end at the downstream of the passage forming member to regulate the movement of the valve body.

Furthermore, a cylindrical gap can be formed between the outer periphery of the passage forming member and the inner periphery of the suction passage.

In this structure, forming the gap between the outer periphery of the passage forming member and the inner periphery of the suction passage further suppresses heat exchange between a fluid in the discharge chamber and that in the suction passage.

Furthermore, it is preferable to provide a communication hole communicating with the cylindrical gap and an inner space of the passage forming member in the passage forming member. In this structure, the structure enables discharging air in the gap between the outer periphery of the passage forming member and the inner periphery of the suction passage through the communication hole during vacuum drawing before enclosing fluids such as refrigerant.

Moreover, the structure enables the end at the upstream of the passage forming member to regulate a movement toward an axial direction of the suction passage to thereby lock the end to an inner peripheral wall of the suction passage.

In this structure, the structure allows the passage forming member and in addition the entire opening regulating valve to be positioned at a predetermined position in the suction passage.

Herein, a large diameter part internally inserting a flange of an external fluid circuit into the upstream end of the suction passage is provided via a step part, and a flange to be fit in the middle of the large diameter part is integrally provided in the end at the upstream of the passage forming member. In succession, sandwiching the flange of the passage forming member between the flange of the external fluid circuit and the step part of the suction passage in an axial direction of the suction passage allows regulating a movement of the passage forming member to the axial direction of the suction passage.

In this structure, since the flange provided in the end at the upstream of the passage forming member is sandwiched between the flange of the external fluid circuit and the step part of the suction passage, the passage forming member can be positioned at a predetermined position in the suction passage without adding a stopping member etc. for the pressure forming member.

Advantageous Effects of the Invention

According to the compressor of the present invention, since the passage forming member serves as a structural element of the opening regulating valve by regulating a movement of the valve body and heat insulates the suction passage, the invention allows heat insulation of the suction passage and opening regulation of the suction passage with a simple structure, and suppressing compressive performance deterioration due to a temperature rise in drawn fluid. Additionally, the invention allows providing a compressor capable of suppressing pulsations in the suction pressure at relatively low cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating an opening regulating valve constituting the compressor according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 2A is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a maximum valve opening state, and

FIG. 2B is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a minimum valve opening state; and

FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view illustrating a mounting state of the opening regulating valve relative to the compressor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, detailed descriptions of embodiments of the present invention will be provided with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a compressor according to an embodiment. The compressor is a variable capacity swash plate reciprocating compressor 100 used for in a vehicle air conditioning system.

The compressor 100 includes a cylinder block 101, a front housing 102 coupled to one end of the cylinder block 101, and a cylinder head 104 coupled to the other end of the cylinder block 101 via a valve plate 103.

A crank chamber 105 is defined by the cylinder block 101 and the front housing 102. A driving shaft 106 is rotatably supported via bearings 113, 115, and 116 in radial and thrust directions with respect to the cylinder block 101 and the front housing 102 so as to traverse in the crank chamber 105.

The tip of the driving shaft 106 protrudes outwards beyond the front housing 102 passing through a boss 102 a of the front housing 102, and is coupled to driving sources such as an automobile engine and a motor etc. via a power transmission device.

In this connection, a shaft seal 112 is provided between the driving shaft 106 and the boss 102 a for isolating the crank chamber 105 in the front housing 102 from the outside.

In the crank chamber 105, a rotor 108 is fixed to the driving shaft 106 and a swash plate 107 is mounted on the rotor 108 via a connecting part 109.

The swash plate 107 has a through hole formed in the center thereof through which the driving shaft 106 passes and rotates integrally with the driving shaft 106. The swash plate 107 is slidably in an axial direction of the driving shaft 106 and is tiltably supported. Furthermore, the rotor 108 is rotatably supported by a thrust bearing 114 arranged in an inner wall of the front end side of the front housing 102.

Between the rotor 108 and the swash plate 107, a coil spring 110 urging the swash plate 107 toward a direction in which inclination angle of the swash plate 170 decreases is attached. Furthermore, between a snap ring 130 secured to the driving shaft 106 and the swash plate 107, a coil spring 111 urging the swash plate 107 toward a direction in which the inclination angle of the swash plate 107 increases is attached.

In the cylinder block 101, multiple cylinder bores 101 a are formed so as to encircle the driving shaft 106. In each of the cylinder bores 101 a, a piston 117 is reciprocatably received in an axial direction of the driving shaft 106. Each piston 117 is engaged to the periphery of the swash plate 107 via a shoe 118, and when the swash plate 107 rotates with the driving shaft 106, each piston 117 reciprocates in the cylinder bore 101 a.

In the cylinder head 104, a suction chamber 119 is provided on an extension line of an axis of the driving shaft 106 and a discharge chamber 120 cylindrically surrounding the suction chamber 119 is provided. The suction chamber 119 communicates with the cylinder bore 101 a through a communication hole 103 a formed in the valve plate 103 and a suction valve (not shown). The discharge chamber 120 communicates with the cylinder bore 101 a through a discharge valve (not shown) and the communication hole 103 b formed in the valve plate 103.

The front housing 102, the cylinder block 101, the valve plate 103, and the cylinder head 104 are fastened by a plurality of through bolts 140 via a gasket (not shown) to thereby form a compressor housing.

At the outside of the cylinder block 101, a muffler 121 is provided. The muffler 121 is provided by coupling a bottomed cylindrical lid member 122 to a cylindrical wall 101 b vertically provided to an outer surface of the cylinder block 101 via a seal member. In the lid member 122, a discharge port 122 a is formed, which is connected to a condenser of the vehicle air conditioning system.

A communication passage 124 communicating with a muffler space 123 in the muffler 121 and the discharge chamber 120 is provided over the cylinder block 101, the valve plate 103, and the cylinder head 104. The muffler 121 and the communication passage 124 form a discharge passage communicating between the discharge chamber 120 and the discharge port 122 a, and muffler 121 forms an extension space in the middle of the discharge passage.

Furthermore, a check valve 200 opening and closing an entry of the muffler 121 is arranged in the muffler 121. The check valve 200 is arranged at a connection between the communication passage 124 and the muffler space 123 and operates in response to a pressure difference between the communication passage 124 at the upstream and the muffler space 123 at the downstream. More specifically, the check valve 200 opens when pressure Pu in the communication passage 124 is higher than pressure Pd in the muffler space 123 by a predetermined value SL and closes when the conditions of the pressure difference are not satisfied. In other words, the check valve 200 opens when Pu−Pd >SL>0 and closes when Pu−Pd≧SL>0.

In the cylinder head 104, a suction port 104 a and a communication passage 104 b communicating with the suction port 104 a and the suction chamber 119 are provided. The suction chamber 119 is connected to an evaporator of the vehicle air conditioning system through a suction passage 104 c constituted by the communication passage 104 b and the suction port 104 a. The suction passage 104 c linearly extends substantially along a radial direction of the cylinder head 104 so as to bridge over the discharge chamber 120 from the radially outside of the cylinder head 104.

In the communication passage 104 b, an opening regulating valve 250 regulating an opening of the suction passage 104 c is arranged. The opening regulating valve 250 includes a passage forming member 254 cylindrically made of a heat insulating material and internally inserted into the communication passage 104 b, a valve housing 253 having an outlet port 253 a locked to the downstream of the passage forming member 254, a valve body 251 received in the valve housing 253, and a compression coil spring 252 urging the valve body 251 toward a direction in which an opening of the suction passage 104 c decreases, i.e., toward a valve closing direction.

Then, refrigerant drawn in the suction port 104 a is led to the suction chamber 119 through an inner space 254 a of the passage forming member 254 and an outlet port 253 a of the valve housing 253.

The opening regulating valve 250 regulates the opening of the suction passage 104 c depending on a pressure difference between the inner space 254 a of the passage forming member 254 constituting the suction passage 104 c and the suction chamber 119, that is, a change in a flow rate of the refrigerant. The opening regulating valve 250 makes the opening of the suction passage 104 c small by valve closing urging force of the compression coil spring 252 when the flow rate of the refrigerant decreases, and the opening regulating valve 250 conversely makes the opening of the suction passage 104 c large against the valve closing urging force when the flow rate of the refrigerant increases.

In the present embodiment, the cylinder head 104 is made of an aluminum material. The valve housing 253, the passage forming member 254, and the valve body 251 are made of resin materials such as a polyamide resin that is a heat insulating material having heat conductivity lower than that of the aluminum material.

Hereunder a structure of the opening regulating valve 250 will be explained in detail.

In the cylinder head 104, a capacity control valve 300 is attached.

The capacity control valve 300 regulates an opening of the communication passage 125 communicating with the discharge chamber 120 and the crank chamber 105 to control a suction amount of discharged refrigerant to the crank chamber 105.

Further, the refrigerant in the crank chamber 105 goes through a gap between the bearings 115, 116 and the driving shaft 106, and flows in to the suction chamber 119 through a space 127 formed in the cylinder block 101 and further an orifice 103 c provided in the valve plate 103.

Accordingly, changing the pressure in the crank chamber 105 by regulating the suction amount of the discharged refrigerant to the crank chamber 105 by the capacity control valve 300 to change inclination angle of the swash plate 107, that is, a stroke amount of the piston 117 enables control of a discharge amount of the compressor 100.

The capacity control valve 300 adjusts electric current supplied to a built-in solenoid based on an external signal, and controls the discharge amount of the compressor 100 so that the pressure in the suction chamber 119 to be led to a pressure-sensitive chamber of the capacity control valve 300 through the communication passage 126 amounts to a predetermined value. Moreover, the capacity control valve 300 interrupts an electric current supplied to the built-in solenoid to forcibly open the communication passage 125 so as to control the discharge amount of the compressor 100 to the minimum.

Hereunder a structure of the opening regulating valve 250 will be explained in detail referring to FIGS. 2 and 3.

The valve housing 253 of the opening regulating valve 250 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape having on its peripheral wall a plurality of outlet ports 253 a. An outer periphery at the downstream end of the passage forming member 254 is fitted to an inner periphery at the open end of the valve housing 253 to form an inner space 253 b continuously connected to the inner space 254 a of the passage forming member 254.

In this connection, a groove 253 e is formed in the inner periphery at the open end of the valve housing 253 over the entirety of the valve housing 253 and the protrusion 254 e is provided in an outer periphery of the end at the downstream of the passage forming member 254 over the entire circumference. When the passage forming member 254 and the valve housing 253 are fit to each other, they are allowed to mutually elastically deform for fitting the protrusion 254 e to the inner periphery at the open end of the valve housing 253. The protrusion 254 e will be fixed in the groove 253 e by elastic resilience, with the passage forming member 254 and the valve housing 253 will be prevented from falling out.

Furthermore, the valve body 251 is formed in a bottom cylindrical shape having an outer diameter to be fitted in the inner space 253 b of the valve housing 253, and is inserted through the inner space 253 b of the valve housing 253 with the bottom thereof as the open end side of the inner space 253 b.

Then, a movement of the valve body 251 through the inner space 253 b of the valve housing 253 along an axial direction thereof varies an opening space of the outlet port 253 a opened to a peripheral wall of the valve housing 253.

That is, when the valve body 251 approaches the bottom side of the inner space 253 b of the valve housing 253, an area of the outlet port 253 a to be closed by the peripheral wall of the valve body 251 decreases and an opening of the suction passage 104 c increases. In contrast, when the valve body 251 departs from the bottom side of the inner space 253 b of the valve housing 253, an area of the outlet port 253 a to be closed by the peripheral wall of the valve body 251 increases, and the opening of the suction passage 104 c decreases.

The compression coil spring 252 is arranged between the bottom of the valve housing 253 and that of the valve body 251, the compression coil spring 252 is a means for urging the valve body 251 toward the open end side of the inner space 253 b of the valve housing 253, that is, toward the side at which the opening of the suction passage 104 c decreases.

Furthermore, the passage forming member 254 is formed in a cylindrical shape, one end of which fits to the inside of the open end of the valve housing 253. Multiple regulating parts 254 b regulating a movement of the valve body 251 toward the passage forming member 254 side of the valve body 251, that is, toward a direction in which the opening of the suction passage 104decreases by abutting the passage forming member 254 to a bottom wall of the valve body 251 are formed protrudingly at the annular end of the one end.

The regulating part 254 b is formed in an arc shape having the same internal and external diameters as those of the cylindrical part of the passage forming member 254, each being formed at uniform height.

While in a state in which the bottom wall of the valve body 251 is abutted to the regulating part 254 b and the movement of the valve body 251 is restricted, the suction passage 104 c comes to a minimum opening, in the present embodiment, the minimum opening is not in a fully closed state and the outlet port 253 a is set to be slightly open. The pressure in the suction chamber 119 becomes equal to that in the suction port 104 a side when refrigerant circulation is stopped.

In this connection, the number of the regulating part 254 b may be one, but it is preferable to provide, for example, two to four regulating parts 254 b at identical regular spacing.

It is possible to have a structure in which a bottom wall of the valve body 251 and the passage forming member 254 cylindrically abut each other, by using the annular end at the downstream of the passage forming member 254 as a regulating part, without providing the regulating part 254 b protruding from the annular end at the downstream of the passage forming member 254.

However, when such a structure is used, cylindrically attaching the bottom wall of the valve body 251 closely to the passage forming member 254 precludes one from ensuring a route communicating with which the suction passage 104 c and the suction chamber 119 communicates. For this reason, in the present embodiment, the regulating part 254 b protruding from the cylindrical end at the downstream of the passage forming member 254 is provided to form a gap between the cylindrical end at the downstream of the passage forming member 254 and the bottom wall of the valve body 251 with the bottom wall of the valve body 251 abutting the regulating part 254 b.

Meanwhile, a movement of the valve body 251 toward a direction in which an opening of the suction passage 104 c increases, that is, toward a direction in which the valve body 251 approaches the bottom of the valve housing 253 is regulated by abutting the open end side of the tubular part of the valve body 251 to the bottom wall of the valve housing 253.

At the bottom wall of the valve housing 253, a small hole 253 b communicating with a rear side space 250 b of the valve body 251 and the suction chamber 119 is formed in the bottom wall of the valve housing 252. Thereby, the valve body 251 operates in response to a pressure difference between the upstream and the downstream to regulate the opening of the suction passage 104 c.

Furthermore, a flange 253 c is provided in the open end of the valve housing 253 and a flange 254 f is provided in the passage forming member 254, the flange 254 f forms a peripheral groove 250 c in conjunction with the flange 253 c when the valve housing 253 and the passage forming member 254 are fitted to each other.

The opening regulating valve 250 is elastically supported by an O-ring 255 to the communication passage 104 b by attaching the O-ring 255 made of elastomer to the peripheral groove 250 c and by fitting the O-ring 255 to the communication passage 104 b in such a manner as to be pressing the O-ring 255 protruding from the peripheral groove 250 c.

An internal diameter of the suction port 104 a is set to be greater than that of the communication passage 104 b and a step part 104 e is provided in a boundary between the communication passage 104 b and the suction port 104 a. A flange 254 c to be fit to the suction port 104 a that is a large diameter part continuously connected to the communication passage 104 b is provided at the upstream end of the passage forming member 254.

That is, the diameter of the flange 254 c is set to a diameter greater than the internal diameter of the communication passage 104 b and smaller than the internal diameter of the suction port 104 a. The opening regulating valve 250 including the passage forming member 254 is inserted into the communication passage 104 b from the suction port 104 a, with the valve housing 253 side facing downstream. When the flange 254 c abuts the step part 104 b of the boundary between the communication passage 104 b and the suction port 104 a, positioning of the opening regulating valve 250 is performed with respect to the communication passage 104 b.

Then, when the flange 400 of the external refrigerant circuit is internally insertion connected to the suction port 104 a, the flange 254 c of the passage forming member 254 is sandwiched between the top 400 a of the flange 400 and the step part 104 e, thereby preventing the opening regulating valve 250 from coming off by the flange 400.

In this connection, when the opening regulating valve 250 is removed from the cylinder head 104, a tool is inserted from a notch 254 g formed in plural portions in the flange 254 c, and the valve is pulled out by hooking the flange 254 c on the tool.

A groove 400 b is formed in an outer peripheral surface of the flange 400 of the external refrigerant circuit. By attaching an O-ring 259 made of elastomer to the groove 400 b, a gap between an inner peripheral surface of the suction port 104 a and the outer peripheral surface of the flange 400 are sealed.

In a state in which the opening regulating valve 250 is positioned with respect to the communication passage 104 b, an inner diameter of the communication passage 104 b and an outer diameter of the passage forming member 254 are set so that a cylindrical gap 260 is formed between the inner periphery of the communication passage 104 b and the outer periphery of the passage forming member 250. Additionally, at a peripheral wall of the passage forming member 254, a communication hole 254 d communicating with the gap 260 and the inner space 254 a of the passage forming member 254 is formed.

A description will next be made to an operation exerted by the aforementioned opening regulating valve 250.

As mentioned above, the housing such as the cylinder head 104 etc. is made of metal materials such as an aluminum material and the valve housing 253 constituting the opening regulating valve 250, the passage forming member 254, and the valve body 251 are made of a resin material.

Because the communication passage 104 b extends bridging over the discharge chamber 120, heat of discharged refrigerant in the discharge chamber 120 transmits to drawn refrigerant in the communication passage 104 b if the adiabatic point is between the communication passage 104 b and the discharge chamber 120 is low, resulting in an increase in temperature of the drawn refrigerant. However, in the aforementioned compressor 100, the cylindrically formed passage forming passage 254 made of a resin material having extremely small heat conductivity, as compared with the aluminum material that is a molding material of the cylinder head 104 is internally inserted into the communication passage 104 b. Thus, it is possible to prevent the heat of the discharged refrigerant in the discharge chamber 120 from transferring to the drawn refrigerant in the communication passage 104 b to thereby suppress a temperature rise in the drawn refrigerant.

Furthermore, a gap 260 is formed between an inner periphery of the communication passage 104 b and an outer periphery of the passage forming member 254, and the opening regulating valve 250 is elastically supported by the O-ring 255 to the communication passage 104 b. Reducing an area in which the passage forming member 254 of the opening regulating valve 250 and the valve housing 253 directly contact the communication passage 104 b contributes to further enhancement of insulation effectiveness exerted by the passage forming member 254.

Furthermore, a communication hole 254 d communicating with a gap 260 between the inner periphery of the communication passage 104 b and the outer periphery of the passage forming member 254 and the inner space 254 a of the passage forming member 254 is formed in the passage forming member 254. In such configuration, it is possible to facilitate discharge of air in the gap 260 during vacuum drawing to be effected for discharging air in the compressor 100 when enclosing the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit. Additionally, it is possible to facilitate coming out of refrigerant or oil to the inner space 254 a side, when they are intruded into the gap 260 from a gap between the flange 254 c and the suction port 104 a.

Hereunder an effect exerted by the aforementioned opening regulating valve 250 will be explained in detail.

In the compressor 100, since the passage forming member 254 serving as an insulating member is internally inserted into the communication passage 104 b to suppress a temperature rise in the refrigerant in the communication passage 104 b, it prevents density reduction of the refrigerant due to the temperature rise and further performance deterioration of the compressor 100.

Furthermore, since the gap 260 is formed between the inner periphery of the communication passage 104 b and the outer periphery of the passage forming member 254, and the passage forming member 254 is elastically supported by the O-ring 255 to the communication passage 104 b, it further enhances heat insulation performance of the passage forming member 254, thereby accomplishing effective suppression of the temperature rise in the refrigerant in the communication passage 104 b.

Moreover, since the opening regulating valve 250 regulates an opening of the suction passage 104 c depending on a flow rate of the refrigerant, it reduces pulsations of the suction pressure, thus suppressing the occurrence of abnormal noise resulting from the pulsations of the suction pressure.

In addition, since the passage forming member 254 serves as a heat insulating member of the communication passage 104 b and functions as a part of an opening regulating function by integrally providing the regulating part 254 b regulating a movement of the valve body 251 of the opening regulating valve 250, it enables simplification of a structure of the compressor 100 and reduction of the cost of the compressor 100 as compared with a case in which the heat insulating member and a member regulating the movement of the valve body 251 are separately provided.

As mentioned above, while the details of the present invention are specifically described referring to the preferred embodiments, it is obvious for one skilled in the art to be able to make various modifications on the basis of the basic technical concept and teachings of the present invention.

For example, in the aforementioned embodiments, whereas an axis of the suction passage 104 c is substantially orthogonal to that of the driving shaft 106, and the suction passage 104 c is linearly extending so as to go across a part of the discharge chamber 120 from the radial outside of the cylinder head 104, not necessarily limited thereto, the suction passage 104 c may alternatively be one which bridges over the discharge chamber 120 and so an extending direction of the suction passage 104 c is not limited to a radial direction. Also, the axis of the suction passage 104 c may be inclined relative to that of the driving shaft 106.

In the present embodiment, while the passage forming member 254 is made of polyamide resin material, instead, the passage forming member 254 may be made of other resin materials such as polyphenylene sulfide. Additionally, the passage forming member 254 may be made utilizing a layered material coated by resin coating etc. having a heat insulation action on a surface of the metal material. In the present application, a heat insulating material includes the aforementioned layered material.

Furthermore, whereas in the present embodiment, the opening regulating valve 250 has a structure in which the opening regulating valve 250 does not fully close even in a minimum opening state, the opening regulating valve 250 may alternatively be a check valve that fully opens in the minimum opening state.

Moreover, supporting the flange 254 c side of the passage forming member 254 via the O-ring to the communicating passage 104 b enables further enhancement of a thermal insulating effect.

In addition, the compressor 100 may be a reciprocating compressor with an electromagnetic clutch, a compressor with no clutch, or a compressor driven by a motor.

Reference Signs List

100 Compressor

101 Cylinder block

101 a Cylinder bore

102 Front housing

103 Valve plate

104 Cylinder head

104 a Suction port

104 b Communication passage

104 c Suction passage

105 Crank chamber

106 Driving shaft

107 Swash plate

250 Opening regulating valve

251 Valve body

252 Compression coil spring

252 Valve housing

253 a Outlet port

254 Passage forming member

254 b Regulating part

254 c Flange

254 c Communication hole

260 Gap 

1. A compressor comprising: a housing including an suction chamber arranged on an extension line of an axis of a driving shaft, a cylindrically arranged discharge chamber surrounding the suction chamber, and a suction passage extending from the radial outside of the discharge chamber to the suction chamber bridging over the discharge chamber; and an opening regulating valve regulating an opening of the suction passage, wherein the opening regulating valve includes a passage forming member which is cylindrically made of a heat insulating material, internally inserted into a portion of the suction passage bridging over the discharge chamber, and wherein the passage forming member integrally includes a regulating part regulating a movement of a valve body.
 2. The compressor according to claim 1, wherein the opening regulating valve includes a bottomed cylindrical valve housing for receiving therein the valve body, an outer periphery at the downstream of the passage forming member is fitted to an inner periphery at the open end of the valve housing to lock the valve housing to the downstream end of the passage forming member, and wherein the valve body is fitted in the valve housing to move along an axial direction of the valve housing, and the valve body abuts the regulating part integrally provided in the cylindrical end at the downstream of the passage forming member, to thereby regulate a movement of the valve body toward a direction in which the valve body comes near to the downstream end of the passage forming member.
 3. The compressor according to claim 1, wherein a cylindrical gap is formed between an outer periphery of the passage forming member and an inner periphery of the suction passage.
 4. The compressor according to claim 3, wherein a communication hole communicating with the cylindrical gap and an inner space of the passage forming member is provided in the passage forming member.
 5. The compressor according to claim 1, wherein a movement of the upstream end of the passage forming member is regulated in an axial direction of the suction passage to be locked to an inner peripheral wall of the suction passage.
 6. The compressor according to claim 5, wherein a large diameter part into which a flange of an external fluid circuit is internally inserted is provided in the upstream end of the suction passage via a step part, a flange fitted in the large diameter part is integrally provided in the upstream end of the passage forming member, and a movement of the passage forming member is restricted in an axial direction of the suction passage by sandwiching the flange of the passage forming member between the flange of the external fluid circuit and the step part of the suction passage in an axial direction of the suction passage. 